A Promise is a Promise
by legobean
Summary: It's been several years since the fall of Voldemort. Ron and Hermione are finally getting married and it would seem that life has left Harry behind. A forgiven debt from a long time ago, might assist Harry in catching up as he deals with the promise he thought he'd never live to keep.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**__ Based on the works of JK Rowling. (That doesn't stand for Just Kidding, by the way, I checked!) The characters in this story are hers not mine. _

Chapter 1: There she was

And there she was.

It wasn't exactly like he'd been avoiding her. Not exactly like that at all. He'd been busy. Well and of course he'd promised Ron that he'd never kiss her. Well technically that he'd never grope her again, but the conversation echoed in his mind. _It'll NEVER happen again_. What a stupid thing to promise.

Of course at the time he hadn't exactly been thinking clearly. He'd been seventeen and full of hormones and just had the best kiss of his life. Not to mention he had a demented madman taking over the country who was personally intent on killing him. It was enough to make a bloke temporarily insane. Temporarily insane enough to promise to never entangle himself romantically with the great love of his life, clearly, hero or not, Harry Potter was an idiot. Now she was standing there, in kitchen of her childhood home wearing a Muggle mini-skirt. Always with the Muggle clothes this one. No wonder he'd been not quite avoiding her for the last five years. Legs like hers could give a bloke a heart attack.

Now he was standing just inside the doorway to the sitting room, watching her from the back like some pervert. Because to travel further into the kitchen would mean talking to her, something he steadfastly avoided at all costs, and turning and leaving would mean he wouldn't be able to watch her anymore.

"Unky Harry!" A devastating cute girl with a bob of curly blonde crashed into his leg with a giggle and attached herself, seemingly permanently, to it. This would make escaping much trickier.

"Hi sprog!" Harry smiled widely at the small girl. She was here for the same reason he was. The wedding rehearsal, she was the flower girl. He'd dropped the ring bearer off in the garden on his way in.

He looked up in time to see Ginny glance away from him and unreadable expression on her face. He was not so lucky when he turned to face Fleur. The very pregnant half Veela was smirking at him. Clearly stating that she knew everything, and she was going to start on him _again _as soon as they were out of Ginny's ear shot. Harry sighed. Why did Ron and Hermione have to get married now?

"Piggy back wide!" Victoire shouted.

"Okay, okay, sprog, hop on." Harry bent down so that the small girl could climb up his back. "Let's go find Teddy." She giggled wildly and she scrambled up Harry's back looping her slender arms around his neck. Harry risked one more glance at Ginny and found her watching him, a sad smile on her lips. He stood up and bounced towards the door eliciting shrieks from Victoire followed by still more giggles.

Fleur grinned evilly as they passed her and he whispered to her. "Not today, please?"

"Of course today, you are thinking I would let an opportunity like this pass by?"

He loved Fleur, but she really could be frightening sometimes. "Shouldn't you be helping Hermione with something?" Harry asked desperately.

"Shoo, it's time for girl talk," Fleur swatted him on his bum in fair imitation of encouraging a horse to move. "I shall speak with you later…"

The insinuation was clear. It was going to be another one of _those_ conversations. She'd only been nagging him at every turn for the last five years, to find a girl already. Why would today be any different?

He bounced out the door to find his Godson.

The rehearsal went well, as rehearsals always do. It's the wedding that always falls to pieces; the rehearsals always seem to go beautifully. Now they were having dinner after. It was interesting watching Hermione's parents. Harry had never met anyone who was so comfortable at not fitting in, as Hermione's parents seemed. The wedding was being held in hall near Hermione's parent's new home. This was to facilitate, having both Muggles and wizards being there at the same time. Thankfully, the guest list had been limited, to try and avoid any of the Muggles from realizing there were wizards there. The trade off had been that this was a Muggle wedding, and Mrs. Weasley had been caterwauling for months now about the fact that it was not a real wedding. A sentiment shared, albeit much more quietly with a large part of the rehearsal dinner's guests. The boisterous and often obnoxious crowd often took turns trying to amaze Hermione's parents, who seemed neither shocked nor overly impressed by the magic around them. Harry had asked Hermione's father, David, about this and he replied with a smile. "Once you've seen the things my daughter can do, not much else impresses you." Harry had to agree.

After the dinner started to break up, conversations flowed around the Burrow's garden, as groups stood around to catch up. The tables had mostly been deserted as the guests milled about. Harry was swirling a rather uninteresting glass of mead that he'd spent more time considering than actually drinking, thanking his lucky stars that most of the people at this gathering were rather used to him. It made sitting quietly at social gatherings much easier. Occasionally, someone would move over and attempt to engage him for a few minutes, before giving up and making some excuse to find more pleasant conversationalists. Sometimes Harry wished he was more socially adept, but most of the time, he just wished he was less popular to have at social gatherings. As twilight approached Harry was slowly slipping into the shadows, by pretending to be one.

"Umph" Fleur exhaled as she plopped about as ungracefully as he'd ever seen her into the chair next to him.

"Why are you not mingling in ze crowd?" Fleur asked.

"I'm staying here, where people are less inclined to gawk at me," Harry replied.

Fleur stared wide eyed at him raising her eyes not so subtly to his forehead in a fair imitation of most people's first glimpse of Harry Potter. Harry smirked at her and she laughed. "Eet is not so safe here, you see?"

Harry only nodded.

"I do not think that is why you sit here." Fleur stated after a moment. She was inspecting her fingernails, like there was some possible nick in the beautifully polished nails. Harry had yet to ever see that happen. "I think that you are afraid of talking to someone in particular."

"Why am I not surprised?" Harry asked.

"Because you are not a complete idiot…only mostly," Fleur replied evenly before she smiled and placed a hand on the back of Harry's neck. "You should talk to her."

"Who?" Harry asked despite the fact that he was well aware of whom Fleur was speaking.

Her hand tightened in the hair at the back of Harry's head. "Great Aunt Muriel of course, who did you think I was speaking of?" She gave him a rather sharp look. "Who does it help, this being alone all the time? Ron is moving out, you know. It will just be you in that ridiculous apartment."

"My apartment is not ridiculous," Harry replied defensively.

"You are neither a Muggle, nor a teenager, so you do not belong there. You definitely should not be sulking there alone."

"I don't sulk."

"What do you call this then?"

"Relaxing," Harry replied forcefully.

Fleur made a noise that sounded like a disbelieving snort, except that Veela do not snort, so Harry's ears must have been mistaken. "If you will not speak to her, then I think I shall tell Gabrielle that you are freely available for the wedding."

Harry glanced at Fleur in a panic. "What?"

"Gabrielle is coming, _unescorted. _She has been asking if you would be attending alone. I told her I did not know, but now I am thinking I will give her a Floo call in the morning. She has been waiting to try her Veela charm on you since my wedding. You were rather hard to find in your silly disguise." Fleur replied airily.

"But she's a child!"

Fleur gave him a thoroughly reproachful look. She's will be seventeen in two months time. Old enough I think to decide who exactly she wishes to pursue romantically."

"But she's still in school!" Harry sputtered.

"Don't worry Harry, Beauxbatons has no silly rules about staying at ze school. Any student old enough to Apparate can stay wherever zey like. I'm sure she could find plenty of opportunities to see you."

"That's not the point!"

"Were you making a point, 'arry?"

"Why would you want me involved with your sister?" Harry hopped he didn't sound too horrified. He quite liked Fleur. Even her sister had seemed nice on the few occasions he had spoken to her, just really young.

Fleur sighed. "Harry you are my very good friend, and I love you. But it is always one of two things with you, work or Quidditch. I think you are never truly happy, you just feel your life is happy enough. But this can only be, because you do not understand what it means to be with someone you truly love. I want you to be happy, but also you come to our house for dinner usually at least once a week, and I always love to see you. But Teddy plays with Victoire and you and Bill talk Quidditch or Politics or Auror training. Eet was interesting for a while, but now I think it would be better if you had a woman with you for me to talk to." Fleur paused for a moment. "My sister, she is an excellent conversationalist." Fleur smirked at him. "If nothing else the two of you could have fascinating conversations. Conversing while you are naked, eet is an…invigorating…experience."

"Fleur!" Harry squawked.

"You should not try it right away of course. You should practice with the clothes on I think. Maybe then you will be more comfortable."

Harry was quite sure the heat from his face was going to cause the table in front of them to burst into flames at any moment.

"Well," Fleur started as she wobbled unsteadily in her attempt to stand up. "I must find my 'usband. Eet is getting late, and I wish to go home. Have a good evening, 'arry. Gabrielle will be staying with us tomorrow if you would like to stop by and ask to be her escort properly, or you can wait until the wedding. I know you will be quite busy."

Before Harry could even start to answer, Fleur walked into the deepening darkness. Her shimmering hair and bulging belly made it difficult for her to get lost in the silhouettes.

Harry was just thinking that perhaps he should head back to his room when another silhouette broke away and headed for him. He knew instantly who it was and he took a deep breath, although he didn't know why, as she approached.

"Hi Harry,"

"Hello," That was such a terrifically lame thing to say. Why couldn't he think of something suave?

"Where's Teddy?" Ginny asked.

"Oh he and Andromeda headed home right after dinner," Harry replied.

"You're really terrific with him, you know?"

Harry grinned. "He's easy."

"Maybe, but your good with Tori too. I think maybe you're just good dad material."

"Maybe," Harry agreed reluctantly

"So, are you taking Ron out tomorrow night?"

Harry's grin disappeared. "Um…why do you ask?"

"Well because if you are, then someone needs to distract Hermione. You know how she feels about that kind of stuff. But if your not, then I don't have worry about some lame thing to keep Hermione busy tomorrow night."

"Uh, well…I mean it's just a few drinks, and …"

"I don't need details, okay?" Ginny interrupted. "Yes or no, to the distracting Hermione thing is good enough"

"Yes." Harry nodded.

Ginny nodded in reply.

"Why are you helping?" Harry finally asked.

"Because it's my brother, and he should live it up a little. A _little_, mind you, but he's only going to get married this one time. I don't want him and Hermione rowing on their wedding day, and really I think she's blowing the whole stag night thing out of proportion. I know you wouldn't let Ron get himself into any real trouble. Can I trust that if I help you, that you won't let anything upsetting happen?"

"Of course, Ginny," Harry said sincerely.

"Good." Ginny plopped unceremoniously down in the chair beside him and appeared to want to chew her fingernails for a minute before she sat on both her hands. Harry was momentarily distracted by the leg showing at the bottom of her mini-skirt as she sat down. "Can you believe it's taken them this long to finally get married?"

"I think I can understand. We've been so busy the last few years. Ron and I in Auror training, it's not like they saw each other that much. It'll be interesting to see how they survive since neither of them like to do household chores and Ron's become rather reliant on Kreacher."

"How is Kreacher?" Ginny asked

"Oh, you know, slightly barmy, but always exceedingly cheerful as long as there's plenty to do."

"I really don't know. I've heard all of you talking about him, but I've only seen him a couple of times since …well, it's just hard to picture him as being really friendly."

"He still has a foul mouth at times, but he really is a very nice elf. Sometimes I wish he wasn't quite so dedicated."

"Is Hermione still trying to free him?" Ginny asked.

"Of course," Harry shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to do about it. He wails inconsolably whenever anybody talks about giving him clothes. I'd much rather pay him to be honest, or let some other family pay him. He's going to be a lot of elf, when it's just me."

"Do you really have more free time? I mean now that you're out of the Auror academy?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess eventually, I spend a lot of time at work. It's six days on, and my only off day I spend with Teddy. I've been putting in a lot of training hours after my shift. McKinnon says that I'm going to either get killed or get Higgins killed during this first year. I'm trying to prove him wrong."

"When do I get to meet this mysterious Higgins?"

"Probably on Saturday, Ron couldn't very well not invite my partner to the wedding, could he?" Harry replied.

"I was just curious, if, you know, you might be around more. I've hardly seen you…well for a long time…and" Ginny was staggering through the question in obvious discomfort.

Harry stopped her. "I honestly don't know." He'd like nothing more than to see more of Ginny Weasley, but he didn't need the distraction. He really didn't want to get Higgins killed this year. And then there was the promise…

"Oh," The stony mask that Ginny had worn around him all the time broke for a moment and she frowned in the moonlight. She quickly recovered. "So what was Fleur badgering you about earlier?"

Harry felt himself blush slightly. "Er, she was trying to set me up with her sister."

"Gabrielle?" Ginny asked inhaling sharply.

"Right in one." Harry nodded.

"So, when are you two going out?"

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "We're not. It's just Fleur. She's always got some scheme to find a woman for me. You'd think nobody could ever be happy by themselves to hear her tell it."

Ginny scoffed. "It isn't like _you _of all people need help. You could have pretty much any girl you wanted. All you'd have to do is ask."

"Right, because I have such a history as a ladies man." Harry laughed.

"Harry girls literally fall all over each other trying to get a single evening with you. If you wanted to have a fling it'd be easy enough. If you wanted… something more substantial, I don't reckon it'd be a bother to find that either."

Harry was not prepared to have this conversation, with _this_ girl. He decided to shift subjects. "Well what about you. You must have the men lining up."

Ginny shrugged. "It's not like that."

"What's it like then?"

"I just, I don't want to get tangled up with some guy in case things change."

"Things?"

Ginny shot him a look with such anger, and pain behind it he didn't know what to make of it. "Yes. _THINGS_."

They sat in an uncomfortable silence. Harry wasn't stupid, she was clearly waiting for something from him. After five years she was still waiting. Such a stupid promise, he really was an idiot.

"It's just that," Ginny started hesitantly. "I know you broke up with me at Dumbledore's funeral. So I get it, we weren't a couple anymore. I thought I understood what you were trying to do. You didn't have time to think about a girlfriend because you were trying to stop Voldemort. I wish I could have gone with you, girlfriend or no, but I wasn't of age and my tracker, would have made it impossible for me to do magic and stay hidden. So I was resigned to going back to Hogwarts and waiting. It was hard, but it wasn't exactly a time when people were going to be going and finding knew people to fall in love with, when anyone could be a Death Eater. Nobody trusted anybody. Then Fred was killed at Hogwarts, and Tonks and Lupin, and, God, I was a mess. I know how much you hate crying women Harry, I do, but I couldn't help it. You were so good, that whole summer, I could never have gotten through it without you. I'd have had a break down or something. But you were always there, every day, I just got used to it. I mean I we never kissed or anything, but you held my hand when I needed it, you hugged me when I needed it, and you told me exactly what I needed to hear, when I needed to hear it. I never expected you could be so... I mean you had your own stuff you were going through, and I was so focused on what _I_ had lost. But I thought we'd gotten closer. Then I left for school and you turned into a ghost. Your letters became so impersonal. I'd hoped maybe you come for a Hogsmeade weekend, but nope. They finally let me leave Hogwarts I hoped you might want to see me, but it's been two years. It's like you're avoiding me." Ginny hugged herself, the goose pimples shining in the moonlight.

She didn't look at him throughout her narration. Ginny was watching the tablecloth. Harry was at a loss for what to say. "Ginny, I've never forgotten. I wanted to see you, but I just can't."

"Why?" she asked turning to face him. Her eyes glistening even in the low light.

"I just can't."

"That's not good enough, Harry. I need to know _why_. Do you not feel anything for me anymore? Is that it?"

"No, that's not it. It's just a promise is a promise, and I can't."

"_Never_?" Ginny asked in exasperation.

Harry nodded.

"What the hell kind of promise did you make?" Ginny demanded.

"I …I can't say." That was a lie, he could say, he just couldn't bear to say.

"Why can't you say?" Ginny persisted.

"I just can't." Harry sighed deeply. "Look I'll meet you after the wedding, and I'll tell you everything, I promise." _Why do I keep making promises?_ "But I can't tell you right now."

Ginny glared at him. "_Everything_?"

"Well everything about this," Harry replied, now positive he'd made another huge mistake. At least Ron would be on his honeymoon and Ginny would have some time to cool down.

"It better be good."

Harry raised his hands helplessly. "I can only promise the truth."

"Will you stop avoiding me until then?"

"I haven't been avoiding you," Harry replied defensively.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "The truth, remember?"

"It's true, I really have been insanely busy. I've mostly not been avoiding you. It's not like you're so easy to track down. You spend more time in the air than most clouds."

"Well you're going to know where I am all day tomorrow and Saturday. I expect you to talk to me, and to look me in the eye until you tell me whatever your deep dark secret is."

"All right," Harry replied groaning internally. Looking Ginny in the eye was like throwing lit matches at a pile of dynamite, eventually something explosive was going to happen and if you were lucky, all you'd be missing is a few fingers.

Ginny grinned. "And you'll dance with me at the wedding?"

"What?" Harry sputtered. "How does _that_ have anything to do with this?" Dancing was definitely a bad idea, holding Ginny Weasley was even more dangerous than looking at her.

"_Harry_?" Ginny said warningly.

"But that's completely off the topic!"

"You promised to stop being a prat, or whatever it is, until you'd tell me the truth. If you're not going to dance with me at the wedding, then I want the truth now."

"Okay, okay, I'll dance with you at the wedding. Any other riders you want to attach to this agreement." Harry replied irritably.

Ginny gave him the most mischievous grin he'd seen from her since they'd stopped being a couple. "I'm sure I'll think of something." She replied before leaning over and kissing him lightly on the cheek. She giggled before jumping up and dashing towards the house. "Night Harry!" she called over her shoulder.

Clearly this was going to be trouble.

_**A/N**__: So yeah, here we go, I wrote this a long time ago. A really long time ago, but I've got the urge to do a little writing and I've only got about 20,000 words left until I think this will be done and it's November so I want to give it a shot. With a little inspiration I might just make it. Wish us luck_. _A couple of warnings, I don't have a beta for this, so it's going to be pretty rough. I'm rusty and I was never all that good to begin with. So read with caution. This is largely a Harry and Gabrielle story, although there's a fair share of Ginny thrown in here too. May eventually get switched to a rated M, but nothing in the first 30,000 words deserves it. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Drunken Confession**

Ron was drunk. It was not unique to him. Seamus, Dean, and all of Ron's brothers were also drunk. Even Neville who Harry had only seen drink on two other occasions was pissed. Neville who was apprenticing with professor Sprout to take over the Herbology post at Hogwarts, was currently entangled with a half naked woman almost young enough to be one of his students. Neville was probably the most responsible person Harry knew, and he assumed he would be spending his evening talking to Neville while the boys partied it up. But alas, Harry was sitting at their table alone.

"Need some company?"

Harry glanced up as a barely dressed woman strolled by and ran her finger nails across the back of his neck and down his arm.

"Erm, no, I'm fine," Harry's voice sounded unnaturally high, as it had each time this event had occurred during the evening.

"Well you look lonely." The girl dropped into his lap without so much as asking his permission. He realized that he could feel almost every part of her as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him. "What's your name, pretty eyes?"

"I'm Harry," Harry said haltingly.

"Hi Harry, I'm Jasmine. Why don't we share a drink, Harry? What are you having?"

"Erm, water."

"Water? What's the fun in water? Let me order you a real drink."

"That's okay, I'm not really in the mood for drinking."

"What's wrong? Bright boy over there steal your girl?" Jasmine asked him.

It took him a moment to realize that she was nodding at Neville. Harry laughed. "No, I don't have a girl."

"Oh, well, no wonder you're upset. I can be your girl for tonight, luv," She traced her finger down the side of Harry face. He suddenly very much felt the urge to stand up.

"Um, I need to go talk to my friend," Harry stated uncomfortably as he attempted to remove the dancer from his lap.

"Oh, all right, well, let me know if you decide you want to have a good time."

Harry quickly darted over to where Ron was burning through vouchers like he was getting married tomorrow. Harry sat down next to him, far too close to the stage for Harry's liking. He attempted not look, but it was like trying not to look at a transfiguration mishap, too fascinating not to look, to much information when he did look. The current entertainment had a tattoo that wound up her body like a snake. He shivered as he remembered that Bellatrix Lestrange reportedly had a very similar tattoo. If those reports were to be believe Bellatrix's had apparently responded to Parseltongue.

"Ron, um, don't you think we should be going?" Harry yelled to his friend over the techno music.

"What? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know, because you're getting married tomorrow. Because you're drunk, and because if Hermione hears about this, she will kill you," Harry answered.

"I'm not drunk!" Ron replied defensively, his features contorting into an attempted frown, before returning to the normal hapless expression he always had when drunk.

"Right," Harry grunted. "Look, you've got a big day tomorrow. I don't want it to be ruined because you spent all night out acting…well…lecherous."

"Lessurous?" Ron slurred. "Lighten up Harry. You need a couple drinks. I'm getting…I'm get…you're not…" Ron trailed off, then shook his head. "I'm getting married tomorrow, not yous, why are youstill soberer?"

"I promised Ginny I'd keep an eye you. She's distracting Hermione so you can have this little soiree. She'll hex me good if you're hung over and smell anything like you do now, tomorrow."

"Ginny's my sisssster!" Ron declared.

Harry sighed, this was like talking to a particularly thick Irish setter. "Yes, I know."

"Shhhe wouldn't hex you. She still liiikess yous even though yer a git."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, well be that as it may. I promised her I'd get you home in decent condition. I don't break promises, so can we please get out of here?"

"I don't wanna go home yet," Ron whined. He looked as cleverly as possible at Harry given his current condition. "I'll tell you what. We can go home in an hour, if you'll loosssen and have a coup…coup…" Ron held up hand, "two drinksss," he slurred, even though he was holding up three fingers.

Harry groaned as his rolled his head back in frustration. This turned out to be a mistake as there was an attractive but rapidly disrobing woman dancing directly in front of him. He was definitely going to need to wash his eyes later, he'd never seen a nude woman in person before tonight, and for some reason he didn't think this was how you were supposed to see one for the first time. Harry whipped his head back around to Ron. "Fine, one hour."

"I'll get the drinksss!" Ron volunteered cheerfully, before tumbling out of his seat.

Harry watched him wander towards the bar and shook his head. Maybe a couple of drinks might make this night bearable. The woman on stage seemed determined to get his attention as he ignored her. Finally he threw her a handful of vouchers to see if she would go away. It turned out to be a mistake as she performed a particularly graphic act in front of him, before she danced over to another customer. Harry shuddered and closed his eyes, wondering how he was ever going to get that image burned from his brain. Maybe Hermione would Obliviate him if he asked her nicely.

"Harrykins!" George and Charlie plopped into chairs on either side of him.

He looked suspiciously at them. "What?"

"Well poor, all hope is lost, Ron informed us that you have agreed to relax a bit," George explained.

"And he told us, that you agreed to have three drinks." Charlie added.

"It was two drinks!" Harry protested.

George looked at Charlie and held up his hand. "How many is this again?" George asked.

"That's three," Charlie nodded.

"Right, three drinks." George agreed. Harry groaned, but George ignored him. "So, Charlie and I volunteered, out of the goodness of our hearts, to fetch them for you. We would be remiss if we let a thirsty man stay parched."

Charlie dropped one rather large amber colored drink on the table and George put one on the other side that was a florescent blue-green color. "Drink up, Harrykins."

Harry decided that Charlie's must be the safer of the two offered drinks and took a tentative sip. Harry's tongue burned harshly and his eyes began to water. He choked and the liquid slid down his throat causing it to feel as if it was on fire, and his eyes to water profusely. Charlie and George just grinned at him widely. "What is that?" Harry gasped when he was capable of speaking again.

"It's called Dragon's Breath we used to drink it at the Dragon preserve," Charlie explained.

"And people drink this recreationally?" Harry gasped.

"Well, mostly people just drink it when they have a really bad burn. You won't feel anything much for a while."

Sure enough after the second sip Harry could no longer feel most of his mouth and his throat didn't hurt anymore. "What's that?" Harry asked pointing to the drink George had brought.

"Oh, that?" George replied. "It's called Last Call, it was invented by my dearly departed twin. It's great when you meet a girl late in the evening, and want to make sure she warms up to you." George grinned, as Harry shook his head.

He'd taken a few more sips as Charlie and George attracted the attention of the latest performer by dropping large numbers of vouchers in front of the trio. Harry found he didn't mind so much now. He looked around. "Where's Ron?" Harry asked.

"Oh don't worry about him," George replied. "He took a little trip to the VIP lounge."

"Oh, good, as, long as he's not doing anything inappropriate." Harry nodded wisely. "I promised Ginny I'd watch out for him.

"Yeah speaking of Ginny, what's up with you and Ginny?" Charlie asked rather harshly.

"Me?" Harry asked after a rather large gulp from the amber drink. "Nothing'ssss up with me and Gimy."

"Why is that again?" George asked casually. "I thought you two had a thing for each other. Well that's what Ron says anyway. What are you waiting for?"

"It'sss complicated."

"Why?" George asked.

"Becaussse, she'sss hot!" Harry explained. Charlie and George both winced.

"I'd think that would simplify things?" Charlie questioned.

Harry shook his head. "It'sss hard to get over her…Ssshe'ss got freckles!" Harry was afraid he wasn't being clear. "n'red hair," he clarified.

"Right," George nodded. "So, why not just ask her out, I'm almost positive she'd say yes."

"Can't" Harry shook his head.

"Why not?" George asked in exasperation. Harry wasn't sure he'd seen George exasperated, before. He wondered what was bothering him.

"Promisssed Ron," Harry mumbled.

"Oh, really?" George looked rather mutinous. "Ron made you promise not to go out with Ginny?"

"Yep!" Harry nodded, proud that he'd made them understand.

George grunted angrily. "If you'll excuse me, I need to extricate my brother from the VIP room."

"I don't think he'll like that!" Harry volunteered.

"I'll be sure he doesn't," George answered rolling up his sleeves, and stomping away from the table.

Almost two hours latter, Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and crashed into the floor with an "Oomphf." It felt rather uncomfortable. Ron stumbled out of the fireplace, and landed on top of him, and Harry though perhaps it hadn't been so uncomfortable before.

"Geroff" Harry groaned.

Ron and Harry untangled themselves as Ginny came running down the stairs. "What is wrong with you two?" she hissed. "Everyone's asleep!" Ginny ran down the last few steps and Harry stared mesmerized by the bare legs being exposed by her rather short night dress. _Mmmm freckles._

"Harry?" Ginny asked questioningly. When Harry didn't respond quickly enough she kicked him in the leg causing him to break eye contact with her legs.

"Hi!" Harry said. "I'm drunk!"

Ginny giggled. "You don't say?"

"Yep."

Ginny gasped loudly. "Ron what happened to your face?" she whispered fiercely.

"A fist hit it." Ron squinted. "I think."

"You were fighting?" Ginny asked angrily.

"I don't thinksso," Ron answered shaking his head. "Were we?" he asked Harry.

Harry shook his head. "I wasssn't fighting."

"Merlin, Hermione is going to kill the lot of us," Ginny muttered.

"Widgybudgy's here?" Ron asked his face brightening.

"Widgybudgy?" Ginny and Harry mouthed at each other.

"No, Hermione is at her parent's house. But when she sees that shiner, we better make sure she doesn't have her wand."

Ron attempted to stand up, but ended up falling back over and crashing noisily into the floor.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Ginny sighed. Ron grinned but as he tried to get up again Ginny pointed her wand at him. "_Siestus_," she said as she flicked her wand at Ron. Ron slumped to the floor with a grunt, and let out a loud snore. Ginny levitated him off the floor and then turned as she started walking up the stairs. "Stay here, I'll be back in a minute."

"Kay," Harry answered. He put his head down on the floor, but it caused the room spin so he rolled over on his stomach, and it thankfully stopped. He rested his head on the floor and waited. Ginny seemed to be gone a long time. Harry was almost asleep when she came back. He noticed as he rolled over to face her that she had put on a long robe.

"I thought you promised me you'd keep him out of trouble?" Ginny asked. She didn't sound angry, mostly disappointed. Harry would have preferred angry.

"Sorry," Harry said helplessly and sincerely. "I think your brothersss tricksed me."

"Which ones?"

"All of them, Ron wouldn't leave unlesss I had a drink. Charlie gave me sssomethink called Dragon's Breasts. George's tasted better, but I think it broke my head. I'm really sorry." Harry scrunched up his face trying to make her understand how very sorry he really was.

Ginny leaned over him and brushed her finger tips across his face. "I'll forgive you," she whispered so quietly Harry wasn't sure she'd really said it. "Come on, let's get you up to your room," she said more firmly.

She helped Harry off the floor and he leaned on her heavily as she guided him up the stairs. He marveled at how strong she was, while feeling so soft under her robe at the same time. He found his face pressed against the top of her head as they slowly climbed the steps. Harry took a deep breath, catching the flowery scent that meant Ginny. "You smell good," Harry told her. She didn't respond, but she did tighten her grip on him as they finally reached the landing. Ginny guided him in his room and forced him to stand still for a moment while she wrestled him out of his robes. Then she pushed him backwards onto his bed.

"Goodnight Harry, I hope you feel okay in the morning." Ginny kissed the tips of her fingers and then ran them over his cheek.

"You're so bea…bea…b…you're pretty. You have freckles on your legs."

"Thank you Harry, please don't forget to tell me that tomorrow, when you're sober," Ginny replied with a sigh.

"Okay," Harry agreed.

Harry's body tingled as Ginny ran her fingers through his hair. "Goodnight," she whispered as she turned and quickly exited his room.


End file.
